


Of Honour and Magic

by CorgiFromSpace



Series: Death of Merlin [1]
Category: Merlin - Fandom
Genre: Angst, F/M, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-05
Updated: 2010-02-04
Packaged: 2017-10-19 01:30:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/195388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorgiFromSpace/pseuds/CorgiFromSpace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><b>Summary</b>: Everyone expected Arthur to protect his manservant when it was revealed the boy was a warlock. Instead, he stood proudly beside his father as his best friend was tied to a stake and a pile of firewood was built below.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. To Darkness and to Me

**Author's Note:**

> __
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own the television show Merlin _. Any publicly recognised characters are entirely not of my creation. I do however, own this story, so hands OFF!_
> 
>  _Chapter titles and quoted text at the end of each chapter is from the poem 'An Elegy Wrote in a Country Churchyard' by Gray._
> 
> : While this is my first fic for _Merlin_ I am by no means new to the fandom. I have read many stories where Merlin's magic has been revealed to Arthur and (like the good friend and noble Prince he is) Arthur keeps the secret. I have no doubt that, if it were to be exposed, Arthur would keep the secret. But something made me pause.
> 
> What if Arthur _and_ Uther found out at the same time and Arthur had no way to cover for Merlin? Or if, feeling betrayed by Merlin's apparent lack of faith in him, Arthur acted in spite, and condemned his friend to death? And what if there was no rescue of the young warlock, what if he did, in fact, die?
> 
> From those ideas, this story was born.

The quiet air throughout the castle of Camelot shed a feeling of peacefulness and serenity. That morning the King was in a meeting with tradesmen from the North, so the only real sound in the vast halls of the main castle came from the kitchens, where a feast was being prepared, and the throne room, where the meeting was taking place. All the remaining guests in the castle had gone outside, to the township gathered within the castle walls, enjoying the fresh spring air and glorious sunshine.

In fact, apart from the group in the throne room and the various servants bustling around the castle doing their duties, there were only two others inside the castle.

"Come _on_ , Merlin!" Arthur called, waiting in his sleeping chambers for his manservant to return with a clean shirt, having just spilt the mornings breakfast all over the one already laid out.

"I _am_ coming!" came the indignant reply from the servant, as he appeared behind the prince, a clean white shirt draped over one arm. He passed the shirt to Arthur then grabbed the remaining plates from where they sat on Arthur's table, and carried them to a tray beside the door. The tray, Merlin knew, would be picked up later by one of the kitchen staff.

"We're going to be late, you know," Arthur said as he strode past Merlin and out of the door, into a vast corridor. "My father will not be happy with this tardiness."

"I still don't understand why _I_ have to go," Merlin said, and Arthur sighed.

"It's simple really," The royal explained. "My father wants me to attend so that I am able to observe more of the workings of the court, as well as how to successfully negotiate a trade agreement with people from beyond the kingdom of Camelot. Therefore, I am to attend this meeting."

"Well I know that!" Merlin stated. "But that still doesn't explain why _I_ have to go."

"Listen, you _dolt_." Arthur said. "You are my manservant. What I say, you do. Where I go, you go. _That_ is why you have to come."

Merlin opened his mouth in protest, but fell silent when Arthur fixed him with a withering stare. They had reached the doors to the throne room.

The doors were swung open for Arthur, and Merlin followed him through into the grand throne room. Uther nodded at Arthur, gesturing for the young man to join him. Arthur took his seat beside the king while Merlin moved to stand beside Gwen and Gaius on the outskirts of the hall.

The grand doors swung open once again, and this time, two large, cloaked men entered, slowly moving down the great hall towards Uther and Arthur.

"Uther Pendragon?" The first asked, and Uther rose from his throne.

"That is me. This is my son, Arthur. It is a pleasure to welcome you to the halls of Camelot." He said majestically. "Now, to business. What exactly is it you are offering to trade?"

"No trade," The second man replied. "Just your death!"

At that, the two men flung their coats away, revealing matching robes, embroidered with patterns which Merlin recognised as spells - spells which would shield the wearer from being harmed by any kind of weapon. Without magic, Arthur and the king were entirely unprotected.

The king's personal guard sprung into action, their swords raised and swinging towards the sorcerers. As soon as the swords got within a foot of reaching the two men, they fell away from the hands of their wielders. Left defenceless and unarmed, the guards were defeated easily with a shot of lightning from the imposters.

Uther's eyes went wide at the clear use of magic within his castle. Beside him, Arthur had already drawn his sword, waiting for an opportunity to attack. Neither saw the horror written all over Merlin's face as the sorcerers began to chant again.

The astoundingly quick shot of magic that followed was directed towards Uther, but it did not strike him. At the last moment, Arthur had managed to throw himself in front of his father, pulling the older man out of the way. The lightning grazed the boy's shoulder and hip, sending him to his knees in pain, vulnerable.

The sorcerers used this to their advantage, once again raising their arms and summoning a magical force to their aid. Their magic was clearly now aimed at the injured prince staggering to his feet.

"Arthur, look out!" Merlin cried, before flinging himself in front of the prince exactly as a second stream of magical lightning rocketed from the enemy sorcerers' hands towards the king and his son. Merlin reacted on instinct, his eyes flashing a brilliant gold and one hand flying up towards the intruders. A beam of lightning shot out of his fingertips that was stronger than the magic cast by the intruders.

Merlin did not hear the shocked gasps from Gwen and Arthur, nor the startled exclamation from Gaius. His entire concentration was focused on his magic as his flare blocked the bolts meant to kill the Uther and Arthur. The two strands of magic split to either side of Merlin's own ray, bouncing harmlessly to strike the walls. The stronger magic, summoned by the young warlock, continued its fiery path, engulfing the two sorcerers before fading away.

Merlin was left standing in front of Uther and Arthur, with one arm raised and his breath coming slowly from his chest. He was aching, every pore in his body tired from summoning that much magic. It was a feat he had never attempted before, and as the boy turned around, he realised it was not likely he would try it again.

Arthur was still, frozen in place with one arm stretched across his stomach to hold his injured side, his eyes immediately latching on to Merlin's face. The prince's own face was twisted into a grim expression of pain, but in his eyes betrayal shone clearly.

Behind him, Uther's entire being shouted anger and hatred. The king's disapproval of magic was strong on most days, but having it used in his own halls was the biggest insult the man could envision, only serving to greaten his hatred.

On the side of the hall, Merlin could clearly see the shocked and horrified looks on the faces of Gaius and Gwen, already fearful for the fate of the young warlock. Gaius's eyes pieced Merlin's heart with their sadness, knowing that it was already too late to help.

"Guards!" Uther commanded, and immediately several guards entered the hall.

Seeing the bodies scattered on the floor, they sprung into position, protecting the king from the only thing they could deem as a possible threat; Merlin, who was frozen in place, his arm no longer raised, his strong stance falling into one of defeat as his arms when wrestled behind his back. He tiredly brought his head up to face the king.

"This... boy... has committed high treason against Camelot, by using magic inside the castle's walls. Take him away, I do not want to set eyes on him again before his execution!" The guards hauled Merlin out of the room following Uther's instructions, leaving the people left in the room to decipher what happened.

"I don't believe it..." Arthur said, his voice echoing in the vastly silence room. "There's no way... How could _Merlin_ be a sorcerer?"

"I don't believe it either, Arthur." Uther replied. "Such is the heinousness of magic... It infiltrates our lives, making us believe it is good, then strikes us down when we least expect it. No doubt this Merlin was waiting for an opportunity to destroy Camelot from within."

"Forgive me, your highness, but that makes no _sense_." Gwen said, shocking herself by speaking. "What I mean is, well, if Merlin was evil, why did he just save you and Arthur?"

Seeing Uther in shock that the handmaiden had spoken to him, Gaius spoke. "She is right, sire. What reason would Merlin have for saving your life?"

"The minds of magic users do not work following our logic, Gaius, you should know that. Whatever reason Merlin had for saving my son and I, it was simply to serve his own needs." Uther said firmly. "I know he was your ward, and that you cared greatly for the boy, but those feelings mean nothing now."

Uther turned away, making it clear that the conversation was over. He nobly strode out of the hall. Arthur went to follow him, but was stopped by Gwen as she grabbed his arm, turning him to face her.

"Sire, please! You know Merlin, you know that he would _never_ hurt you, or Camelot!" She cried, desperate to get the prince to help save her friend. "You can't let him die!"

"Yes, I can." Arthur stated evenly, shaking his arm to dislodge the young woman. "I thought I knew Merlin, but clearly I was wrong. Sorcery cannot be tolerated inside the walls of Camelot; that is the law. I cannot, nor do I wish to, change those laws to help a servant."

Gwen and Gaius stood shocked as Arthur left the room, the wide door slamming behind him. Abruptly, Gwen threw herself into Gaius' arms, sobs wracking her body. The old man gently stroked her back, trying to soothe her own tears as well as his.

The sound of the doors opening again caused the two to turn towards it, revealing an enraged Morgana storming into the hall.

"How could he do this!" She cried furiously. "How could he simply let Uther do this? Merlin couldn't hurt a fly, there's no way that he's a sorcerer!"

"I'm afraid it's true, Lady Morgana," Gaius spoke calmly and evenly. "We all saw it with our own eyes. As did King Uther _and_ Prince Arthur"

"But how could we not know about it?" Morgana persisted then paused. "How could _you_ not know? Merlin is your ward, have you never noticed anything?"

Gaius' silence answered the question better than any words he could have spoken. Morgana's face slipped from enraged to shocked.

"You _knew_? How could you know and never say anything? Gaius..." The king's ward fell silent, her eyes full of disappointment and sadness.

"Forgive me, Morgana." Gaius' voice too was full of sadness, and his words were soft. "You know I could not tell you. If I did, it would have put Merlin's life in danger."

The hall fell silent once more as the two young women and the old man came to grips with the thought of Merlin's immanent execution.

The doors to Arthur's royal chambers slammed open with such disrespect that Arthur immediately knew who it was entering his chamber. This was only confirmed when Morgana launched into a crazed speech, anger threading into every word.

"You know this is wrong, Arthur!" She began. "I've been to see Merlin; he told how many times he's saved your life. Do you even know how many times he's saved you? Of course you don't, you're too blinded by your hatred of magic to see the good it's done you."

"Morgana, it is not my hatred of magic that has condemned... _him_ " Arthur said, not being able to say the warlock's name.

'Then what was it?" Morgana demanded. "What could possibly be enough to sentence Merlin to his death?"

"His magic condemned him. He chose to break the laws of Camelot, he will suffer the punishment! I thought I made that clear to Gaius and Guinevere earlier" Arthur said.

"Might I remind you that this very same magic that condemns Merlin was also used to save your life?" By now Morgana's anger had increased tenfold. Arthur Pendragon was hard headed and stubborn most of the time, but this was more than the woman could take. "Merlin didn't have to save you, Arthur, especially not if he was here to kill you. But he has, several times over. Do you know why? Because he's your friend."

"Merlin is no friend of mine!" Arthur roared, his eyes ablaze with anger. "No true friend would lie about something so important. No true friend would feel he had to. A true friend would trust that friendship was stronger than any secrets."

"Is that what this is about? You feel _betrayed_ and therefore will send Merlin to his death?" Morgana's voice had fallen, now barely above a whisper.

"No. Merlin will die for betraying _Camelot_. My father is right in his judgement." Arthur's words were final, and Morgana left the room, her fears for Merlin stronger now than they had ever been before.

The day of the execution came quicker than anyone could have expected. In the time between his arrest and the fatal day, Merlin was kept in Camelot's dungeon, the cell door only opened to allow food and water in once daily. He was allowed no visitors, Uther insisting that anyone who visited the boy was likely to be corrupt and therefore would be punished too.

Gaius, Morgana and Gwen came up with no plan to rescue Merlin. There was no way to convince Uther that the boy had not performed magic; the king was not blind, and neither was his son. Arthur still refused to forgive Merlin's secrecy, and could in no way be persuaded to help save his manservant from execution.

The morning before the execution, however, Arthur made the journey down to the dungeons to see Merlin. The guards let him pass, knowing that the prince would not be stopped, and Arthur left a half hour after arriving. He returned to his chambers shortly after to prepare for the event.

At midday, the people of Camelot were summoned to the courtyard outside the main castle, in order to witness the execution. Arthur slowly made his way down from his chambers, standing beside his father on a pedestal directly in front of the stake which Merlin was to be tied to. Joining him on the platform were Morgana and Gwen; as the king's ward and her maid they were expected to stand in place of honour. Gaius also stood with them, for many reasons. The first, and most official was that the man was the court's physician; it was his job to be sure of no complications in the execution. The less official reason was that the boy being killed was as close the old man as a son, and as family, he needed a last chance to be close to Merlin.

Camelot's townsfolk were shocked at the execution of the kindly boy whom had befriended many in his short time in the castle. Had it not been confirmed by Gaius and Gwen, they would never have believed that the boy was capable of performing magic.

A tired and defeated Merlin was brought out of the dungeons and into the sun light for the last time in his life. His short time in the dungeons had not treated him well. His skin was pale and deep shadows surrounded his sunken eyes. The malnourishment had served to thin the boy's already thin body, giving his face a gaunt and empty look.

But the warlock's eyes still blazed with life, their piercing blue cutting clearly through the grim appearance of his body to show that he had not, and would not, give up. A bright spark of defiance was as clear as ever; despite his body being limp and weary, Merlin refused to be dragged to his death. Instead, he walked, allowing the guards holding him to act as supports for his worn out frame.

As he was lifted onto a small stand halfway up the wooden stake, his hands being roughly tied behind his back and around the pole, Merlin did not allow his eyes to stray from those of the king, who watched the preparation with an air of smugness, as if to say; _let anyone try to bring magic into my kingdom, they will only suffer_.

Wood was brought from piles around the town and stacked haphazardly underneath the small square Merlin stood on. Smaller twigs and grasses were strewn into the gaps of the planks, and packed in well enough to ensure a quickly burning fire. Once all the preparations were made, the executioner read from a scrap of paper the crimes which Merlin was accused of. High treason, attempted murder, witchcraft, and numerous other charges thrown in to offer no avoidance of the sentence.

"Uther, please, this is nonsense!" Morgana whispered as the charges were read. The king ignored her statement, serving only to increase her panic. Desperate, she turned to Arthur, pleadingly. "Arthur, he is your friend, stop this madness."

As had his father, Arthur ignored Morgana's pleas. The young woman turned to her maid and the old physician, her eyes already burning with tears. She grabbed Gaius' hand in comfort burying her head in his shoulder as she wept silently. Beside her, Gwen also cried, wrapping her arms around her chest in a vain attempt to comfort herself.

Arthur remain as stoic as possible, his chin raised, shoulders squared, body tense and angry.

As the executioner finished the reading of the charges, Arthur moved forward on the pedestal. Morgana and Gwen's tears paused momentarily, hoping that this was some attempt to save Merlin, who throughout the proceedings had not struggled or tried to free himself in any way. He was silent and still, accepting that this would be his death.

"For these charges, you have been sentenced to death by burning at the stake." The crown prince announced. "Do you have any last words before you die?"

"I will not try to prove my innocence, for I am _not_ innocent of these crimes," Merlin began, his voice hoarse, but filled with wisdom beyond his years. His time in the damp cells of Camelot had broadened his mind to the trials that the world would offer him as he advanced as a wizard. "I have used sorcery, I have killed and I have lied to the crown of Camelot. Yet my name will live on, long after my execution today, well after the walls of Camelot have crumbled to the ground. I will outlive Uther Pendragon, my name still whispered on the wind for generations to come!"

Uther seemed enraged by such comments, and signalled for the wood below the warlock to be lit. The actions of his followers were stopped when Merlin continued.

"I will be remembered, because though I am guilty of using magic, my crimes were committed in _honour_ ; to save Camelot and its rulers."

The crowd let out jeers, not wanting the show to be delayed much longer. Morgana sent one final teary look towards Arthur, before Merlin finished speaking, his own eyes focus on the small group of his friends and family. His voice was just above a whisper.

"Gaius, Morgana, Gwen- my dearest friends, and family. You will not mourn my death for long." He turned to Arthur. "Arthur, I was proud to be your servant, and friend, till the moment I died. Never doubt that you will always be a friend to me." Merlin's voice rose. "Uther, remember this until you take your last breath- It is not you who kills me!"

With that final declaration, Merlin shouted in an ancient tongue, and the wood below caught fire, as King Uther turned away, disgusted. Within moments it had reached Merlin, the roaring blaze drowning out Gwen and Morgana's screams. The two women squeezed their eyes shut, both desperately clinging to Gaius to hide from the flames that were taking away their friend. Gaius himself, turned away, carefully leading the women from the platform.

Arthur was the only person who remained staring at the stake, watching as the flames faded slowly and died, leaving only embers, charcoal and unrecognisable remains. Slowly, they smouldered and faded to a pitch black, a small trail of smoke the only sign of the once magnificent fire.

Uther cast a single glance back at the remains, to satisfy his desire that the sorcerer was dead. When it was confirmed, he smiled slightly then strode purposely into the castle. The residents of Camelot slowly wandered back to their homes, the hustle and bustle of real life quickly overtaking the city once again.

Arthur watched as the charcoal remains were cleared away and disposed of. He watched as workers returned to their houses ready to sleep for the night, the castle's bells signalling the end of the day. He stayed where he stood until the sun hit the horizon, its magnificent rays sending out a stunning flash of light which harshly pulled Arthur's mind back to final moments of the execution.

His imagination conjured a memory of seeing Merlin's eyes flash once, the boy's lips whispering a spell, before he vanished, milliseconds before the flames flared over where the warlock had just stood. Somewhere in the back of Arthur's mind, he hoped that this altered event was what happened, that his friend had not actually died.

But the prince shook the thoughts from his head. They were stupid, and pointless; Merlin was dead. Still, as Arthur turned back to the castle, he caught sight of a single star winking gold briefly, before it was lost to his sight entirely. With a sigh, Arthur straightened his shoulders, and retreated inside.

' _The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,_

 _The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea,_

 _The ploughman homeward plods his weary way,_

 _And leaves the world to darkness and to me.'_

* * *


	2. To Darkness and to Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The line in Arthur's letter that reads Let us hope that a friends loyalty last longer than their memory is taken from a quote in a Jack West book by Mathew Reilly. Six Sacred Stones, I think.
> 
> Chapter titles and quoted text is from the poem 'An Elegy Wrote in a Country Churchyard' by Gray.

_'One morn I miss'd him on the custom'd hill,_

 _Along the heath, and near his favourite tree;_

 _Another came; nor yet beside the rill,_

 _Nor up the lawn, nor at the wood was he.'_

The bells had stopped ringing hours upon hours ago, and Camelot was empty. The clouds cleared and the stars shone down from the heavens, tiny pinpricks piercing the darkness of the night sky. It was past midnight, and only the guards and Prince Arthur remained awake.

No, he corrected himself. King Arthur. I'm not a prince anymore.

Uther had died a month before, after suffering from illness for many years. All methods of saving him had been tested, with Arthur even seeking out a sorcerer to try and heal the king. The man had been able to do no more than prolong Uther's life.

But Camelot's time of mourning was slowly coming to an end. Arthur was to be crowned king in the morning, and would take his position with pride, hopefully leading Camelot in a prosperous new age. A peaceful age.

Enemies of the kingdom had heard of Uther's death, and would no doubt try to take the kingdom quickly. Arthur needed every able bodied knight on the ready, and was already preparing to train the villages to defend themselves.

What he needed was magic. He was no fool, he knew that the enemy would use every available means to take Camelot, and magic would be one of the first things to arrive. Unfortunately, the only truly friendly wizard to ever reveal himself to the court of Camelot had been executed seven years previously. Arthur sighed. It was no wonder magic was practiced so secretly, really.

After Merlin's death Uther had sent his most trusted knights to search the village, to look under every bed, in every cupboard, behind every loose brick for anything that could even remotely be connected to magic. He had found nothing. It only served to make him more suspicious. He personally searched the entire castle, not resting until every last room had been triple checked. He declared that Camelot was entirely magic free, and swore that the punishment for anyone using magic would be increased.

Morgana and Gwen stopped talking to Arthur well before Uther was finished searching. They ignored him for nearly two years, only starting to speak with him again when it was revealed that Uther was becoming sick. They knew that, although it rarely showed, Arthur loved his father. It was their hope that their compassion towards Arthur would make him feel guilt over his failure to save Merlin.

However, it seemed the only man who could make Arthur feel more guilty than he already did was Gaius. He had never stooped as low as refusing to talk to the prince, as that would be neglectful of his duties as court physician, not to mention disrespectful to the crown. When he did speak, it was cold and emotionless, the facts and nothing more. When he spoke to Arthur, there was always a hint of anger and hatred underneath the monotone that slipped through the old man's lips.

The death of Merlin had been hard on Gaius, as was to be expected. The old man to rely on the younger man to brighten his day and relieve the workload, and now Gaius seemed to live in a constant state of gloom. He never entered Merlins old room, not even to clean it, and the room remained the way it had been when Merlin last left it to serve Arthur. Clothes littered the floor, and Merlin's magic book was open on the unmade bed. The door was locked, the windows closed, and anyone who entered Gaius's chambers ignored the little back room.

For years, people in the streets would stare as he walked past, and whisper when they thought he couldn't hear them. They murmured about how Arthur sent the kindest person in the kingdom to death just because he could. Whispers were shared about the most ridiculous things- Merlin and Arthur were secretly lovers and Merlin was accused of witchcraft because the two went through a messy breakup. At one stage Arthur would have found that hilarious.

On the whole, the seven years since Arthur let Merlin die at the stake had been filled with lessons from Uther. As the king became sicker, Arthur was forced to take more responsibility in running the kingdom. He was operating as king well before Uther's death and the people of Camelot were ready to make it official.

He never let anyone see it, but Arthur missed Merlin. Each night before he slept, he berated himself for not noticing the boy's magic earlier and for not trying to save him. He admitted (but only to himself) a month after the execution that he had been stupid and proud, and never let himself forget that he had killed his best, and only, friend.

The sun began to rise over the eastern horizon and Arthur winced, the painfully bright light jerking his thoughts back to a time years before.

 _The glare from the mirror reflected painfully through his eyelids into Arthur's eyes and he cursed his manservant for disturbing his slumber. As he sat up blinking, he saw Merlin's silhouette tying back the curtains. Arthur groaned, and Merlin spun to face him._

 _"Oh, good morning sire." The manservant said gloomily. He was nervously biting his lip, and his hair was even more unruly than normal. "Did you sleep well?"_

 _"Merlin, what are you doing here so early? Normally I'm awake for at least half an hour before you come barging in here." Arthur grumpily replied. Merlin tensed, and broke eye contact._

 _"It's nothing really. I'm sorry for waking you." He mumbled. "I'll just go fetch some hot water for a bath..."_

 _"Merlin, if it gets you here at an appropriate time, then it certainly is something." Arthur climbed out of bed, and gestured for Merlin to sit on one of the wooden chairs at his table. Arthur pulled on a robe and sat down at the chair opposite._

 _"Well, it's just that..." Merlin paused, trying to work out his thoughts. "What if I had a huge secret, one that could change everything? Would everything be different? Would you still look at me the same?"_

 _"What kind of secret could possibly make me look at you as anything other than my servant?" Arthur asked jokingly. "I mean it's not as if secretly you're a prince, or a sorcerer or anything!" Merlin paled, but Arthur didn't notice. "What are the chances of that? Merlin the idiot turning out to be a powerful sorcerer!"_

 _"That's ridiculous!" Merlin said, plastering a fake smile on his face. "Me? A sorcerer? Ha."_

 _Arthur laughed a little longer, and then sent Merlin out to get hot water. He chuckled softly to himself until the boy return, then the conversation was pushed out of his head by a day's worth of hard training and princely duties._

Of course, now when he looked at it, Arthur knew that Merlin was a sorcerer. He still found that hard to believe, the thin, scrawny, clumsy boy certainly fit no one's mental picture of a powerful wizard. His was lacking the beard, for example. But having seen the power that Merlin wielded, it was clear that he was more powerful than he appeared.

He had paid for that power.

For all he tried to hide it, Arthur missed the boy. He found himself looking for him whenever there was some sort of an accident in the castle, especially any involving servants. He jumped when his new manservant entered the room on time. Whenever he saw a flash of red in Camelot, he would crane his neck to see if it belonged to a dark haired magician.

The pain of Merlin's death was present so often that Arthur eventually cut himself off from anything that could remind him. Gaius would treat him in the prince's quarters, instead of in the small quarters he had shared with Merlin. Arthur went hunting less often than he ever had, and whenever he did, he went alone.

He threw himself into his studies and doubled his sword training. He was quiet, introverted and less of a prat. The same people who blamed him for Merlin's death blamed Merlin's death for this new version of Arthur- obviously the prince couldn't live without his friend and now he was slipping into insanity.

They didn't realise how close they were to the truth. Arthur couldn't ever let himself be a prat again because no one would tell him off for it. No one but Merlin ever had, and no one else ever will. Arthur was lonely, even among his own thoughts.

Someone knocking on the door of his chambers startled the new king back into the present. He shook his head to clear them off any distracting thoughts, and called for the person to enter. He turned to face them and from the corner of his eye he saw a small golden star wink at him as it faded in the sunlight.

"Sire, a message was delivered to the castle for you," The courts chief messenger said as he entered the room. "No name was left to identify the sender. No one saw it being delivered... it was as if the note appeared from nowhere."

Arthur signalled for the man to pass him the note, and moved back into the light of the window, carefully untying the string that was keeping the note from unravelling.

It read;

 _Arthur,_

 _The years have been good to you, friend. To see the crown of Camelot placed upon your head will surely bring joy to the kingdom, and to myself. But kings need advisors, and with the coming magic you will need one more than ever._

 _Let us hope that a friends loyalty last longer than their memory._

 _Until your coronation, sire._

Arthur frowned slightly, before he realised that the messenger was still there.

"Yes?" He asked in invitation of more conversation.

"Sire, the coronation is only in a matter of hours, and I was sent to advise you to prepare." The man seemed nervous, and Arthur nodded. The messenger heaved a sigh of relief, then made to hurry out of the room.

"Wait!" Arthur called after him, and he returned. "What is your name?"

"I'm Callum, sire." Callum said.

"Well, Callum," Arthur began. "Take the rest of the day off. Today should not give you need to become stressed." Callum stammered his thanks then hurried from the room, leaving Arthur to ready himself for the coronation.

\---

Hours later, Arthur sat in the throne room, awaiting the first official counsel with the noblemen of Camelot. He tentatively reached up and ran a hand over the crown that sat upon his head. It felt unnaturally heavy on his head, as if its weight was reflective of the burden it carried. The sounds of people partying and feasting outside echoed in through the great windows built into the walls of the throne room.

Inside however, there was a sombre silence. In the next few hours, Arthur would hold his first assembly with the people of Camelot, a tradition passed on from king to king. Then he would meet with the noblemen and discuss matters of Camelot's safety. Finally, he would attend a grand feast to celebrate his ascension to the throne.

It seemed to the newest king of Camelot that time alone would be a luxury. Perhaps the only time he would get would be the few moments before he fell into sleep, and the first moments after he awoke, when he could lie peacefully in his bed.

As these thoughts ran through his head, Arthur was interrupted by Gwen as she came to unroll the great banners and tapestries that lined the sides of the hall. Each was emblazoned with the Pendragon symbol- a grand red dragon.

"Oh, King Arthur!" Gwen said when she saw the man slumped in the throne. He straightened slightly as she moved closer, but his gaze was still directed out a window. "I didn't know you were here, your Highness. Forgive the intrusion."

"Nothing to forgive, Guinevere," Arthur said softly, and motioned for the maid to continue. "I'm glad to see you, it has been too long."

"It has only been a matter of weeks, your Highness," Gwen replied. Arthur shook his head, a sigh escaping from his open lips.

"Months, Gwen. It has been months," He whispered. "Before my father was confined to his bed, at the harvest feast. You were serving wine, and spilt some on Lord Ector's finest shirt."

"Was it truly that long ago?" She had stopped her work with the banners, and now stood beside the throne, just inside Arthur's felid of view. He still looked past her, at the green hills that could be seen from the castle.

"Yes. And before that night it had been many weeks." Arthur's gaze finally shifted to meet Gwen's eyes. "What ever happened to the days when I saw you every day, when you smiled freely?"

"Those days were taken from us, King Arthur." Gwen replied. "They were taken harshly and without warning. Like the life of a would-be friend."

"Please, do not bring him into this," Arthur murmured, his eyes shifting back to the hills. The light shone on them strangely, reflecting a golden light back towards them, which caused Arthur to frown.

"I was not the one who did, Arthur," Gwen said. "You did, when you chose your coronation to be on the seventh anniversary of his death. Did you even notice that that was today? Or are you to proud to see things that you would rather remained hidden?"

"I knew, Guinevere. Don't doubt that I knew. It had to be today, but if I could have changed it, I wouldn't have." Arthur stood, allowing his tall frame to stretch to its maximum height. "Merlin's death was necessary, and the right thing to do!"

"The right thing for whom, Arthur?" Gwen yelled, her frustrations getting the better of her. She was hurting deeply inside. "The right thing for Camelot?" For you? Or the right thing for Merlin? I fail to see how his death helped him, at all."

"It was the right thing for everyone, Gwen!" Arthur yelled back, before his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Never forget that. It was right thing."

Silence hung in the air as Arthur's words sunk in. The echoes from outside couldn't drown out the sound of the king's own heart beat, nor the soft tears of the maidservant.

"You will never forgive me, will you?" Arthur whispered.

"I'm sorry, Arthur." Gwen whispered slowly in reply, as she backed towards the door. "I can never forgive you. Nor can I ever forget."

\---

The courtyard outside the castle was packed with almost the entire population of Camelot. They were all talking amongst themselves, the cacophony of voices merging and blending into an indecipherable racket. A single trumpet blaring out over them was all it took to silence them, and they turned to see their new king step out onto a balcony that overlooked them.

"People of Camelot!" Arthur called, and their cheers drowned out his next words. He waited patiently for calm to return before he continued.

"The time of my father is over. He has left his mortal land to meet with his ancestors. Now it falls to me to protect the land of Camelot from all who wish to harm her." The crowd roared again.

"Camelot is vulnerable to attack, even now. We must defend her with everything we have. It will not be an easy task, nor will it be a quick victory. The enemy want our fertile crops and rich soils as their own, and will stop at nothing to get them! They will not hesitate to use magic against us!"

Several people in the courtyard cried out in fear. Uther, they remembered, would kill anyone with magic, such was his hatred. The old king would have sent entire armies to their deaths to kill one sorcerer. Surely this king would not sacrifice the men of the village for a hopeless cause.

Those villages who remember before Arthur was born knew the dangers of magic, but many more knew of the good it could do. Knowing of his relationship with magic users, several people turned to look at Gaius who stood silently in a corner of the courtyard, his eyes fixed on the king. As the whispers died down, the congregation in the courtyard followed his example.

"Every man in Camelot will be trained to defend the kingdom," Arthur spoke with confidence, his bravery and courage slowly being absorbed by the villagers. "Everything that can be done to protect the kingdom must be done. That is why despite my father's beliefs and my own past actions, I, King Arthur of Camelot, declare that magic should return to the kingdom."

The courtyard was silent as his words were processed, but Arthur paid no mind to it. His eyes had found Gaius' and a silent transmission of apology and forgiveness travelled between the pair. Arthur nodded, farewelled the people, and retreated back inside the castle.

\---

"You cannot do this!" Sir Gareth shouted, pounding his fist on the wooden table that was laid out across the hall, with Arthur sitting on his throne-chair at the end. His meeting with his knights had been spontaneous, but it seemed they had not run out of things to say. Gareth was not the first knight to disagree with Arthur's new decree in the last half hour, but it was assured that he would not be the last.

"Sir Gareth, I can, and I have." Arthur said calmly. "My father's policies were wrong-"

"Your father has been in his grave a month and you are already undoing all the good his had done for this kingdom!" Gareth boldly interrupted.

"Sir Gareth, you will not interrupt the king again," Sir Percival interceded, but Arthur silenced the younger man.

"No, Percival. We are all equals here. Let Gareth speak, if he wishes." The king's face was impassive and deceptively calm. He had expected this reaction from the seniors amongst his knights, and knew that they would not be convinced without reason.

"'Forgive me, my liege, but I will not support you in your quest to destroy Camelot by allowing the evils of magic to overrun her. It is better, in my eyes, to let the castle crumble to ashes then to turn to magic to defend her." Gareth paused, and looked around. Most of the knights were unsure, but a couple nodded with him.

"King Uther dedicated his life to the destruction of the old religion, and he nearly succeeded. Allowing magic back into the kingdom now will only serve to erase all the work he has done." Sir Ulrich stated. "Besides, magic is inherently evil. It will do no good for the kingdom."

"Gaius." Arthur called, and the old man moved to stand at his king's side. He had been called to the meeting before the knights, and knew what the king needed of him. "You know more about the old religion than almost anyone else I have ever known. Tell me, can the old religion ever be destroyed?"

"No, sire." The physician replied. "The old religion is what holds the world together. Without it, there would be no balance in the world. No day and night, nor sky nor ground. The world would lose its beauty, and we would cease to exist."

"So magic is not good or evil then? It simply... is?" Arthur asked.

"Yes, my lord. It is like a sword. On its own it can do no harm, but when it is wielded by a warrior, it can be used for great destruction." Gaius breathed deeply, his aged body shaking as he spoke passionately. "In the right hands, King Arthur, magic can do many beautiful things and save many lives."

"Nonsense!" Gareth shouted. "King Arthur, surely you are not going to believe this man? He harboured a sorcerer who betrayed you. He protected someone who deserved to die! You believed at a time that sorcerers are evil. I don't know what has happened to you since then, but you executed your own pathetic little manservant for being a pathetic little sorcerer-"

"Enough!" Arthur bellowed, and Gareth fell silent. The king had stood to his full, intimidating height and was glaring daggers at the knight. "Do not dare to tarnish Merlin's memory with your lies. He was a greater man then you will ever be, and I refused to see it seven years ago. I will never make that mistake again. Leave us, Gareth, you are no longer welcome here."

Gareth stood, and two other knights joined him. "You are a disgrace to Camelot, King Arthur." He spat. "I will not mourn your passing!"

At those words, the doors to the hall burst open with a bang, and a figure appeared before them. One of his hands was raised, and as it lowered, the doors closed behind him. The knights at the table all stood and unsheathed their swords. Arthur raised a hand and the knights lowered the points of the swords to the ground, but none re-sheathed them.

The man was tall and thin. He wore an old cloak that was scruffy around the bottom and didn't quite reach the ground. Arthur could see that one foot was scarred and shrivelled as if it had been badly burnt, and never properly healed. The man's left hand clutched a staff which he leant upon heavily, but he gave off a sense of power despite his crippled leg. His face was hidden, but dark black hair, turning grey on the ends, was poking out from the bottom of the hood.

Arthur could not help but feel a sense of recognition when he look upon the sorcerer.

"Ha!" Gareth said, in spite of himself. He turned to Arthur. "See, this sorcerer comes to end you. You will regret allowing magic back to Camelot."

"He is not here to kill me, Gareth," Arthur stated plainly, waving the man away. "Leave us now."

Gareth was not a man who liked to be wrong, and in one movement, he turned and brought his sword up the sorcerer's neck. The stranger merely flicked his hand slightly where it rested by his side, and the sword spun away from the disgraced knight. The remaining knights raised their swords again, a habit to entrenched in their minds to remove.

Arthur moved quickly, jumping onto the table and drawing his sword as he sped along its length, he leapt from the end and landed with his back to the sorcerer and his sword held out towards his knights.

"Stand down." The king said fiercely and the knights obeyed, having not heard such determination in Arthur's voice for many years. "This man is no threat, he did nothing but defend himself. Gareth, I have asked you to leave us, now go."

Gareth signalled his men and they hurried from the hall as Arthur continued speaking.

"Magic is no longer forbidden in our kingdom, knights. I thank you, for being so prepared for battle, but there will be no fighting here, not until this man proves he is a threat. Until then, he will be a guest in our castle."

With that, the king turned back to the sorcerer, and absorbed many details about the man. His head tilted unconsciously to one side as his eyes reached the withered leg, and he swallowed heavily before he returned his gaze to the shadowy face of the stranger, who was pulling his hood away from his face.

As Arthur's eyes met with those of the newcomer, he noted that they were threaded with fine golden lines, each contrasting closely with the brilliant blue of the surrounding iris.

"No, it can't be!"Murmured Gaius as he caught a glimpse of the face, but Arthur was silent, his face slowly lightening into a grin that hadn't been seen in years. He hadn't expected... It shouldn't have been possible... He had asked for it though.

He closed the distance between himself and his former manservant, and pulled the man into a tight hug, whispering:

"Welcome back, old friend."


	3. Here Rests His Head

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Of Honour and Magic**

**Of Honour and Magic**

 **Pt Three: Here Rests His Head**

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own the television show _Merlin_. Any publicly recognised characters are entirely not of my creation. I do, however, own this story, so hands OFF!

Chapter titles and quoted text is from the poem 'An Elegy Wrote in a Country Churchyard' by Gray.

The sentence about _steel against steel, magic against magic_ is taken from the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind.

 **Summary** : Everyone expected Arthur to protect his manservant when it was revealed the boy was a warlock. Instead, he stood proudly beside his father as his best friend was tied to a stake and a pile of firewood was built below.

 **A/N** : Well, this has been a ridiculously slow update, hasn't it? I can only apologise, and say that I hope this chapter makes up for the lack of contact.

A lot of this chapter is angsty. It seemed fitting to return to the events of Chapter One and their effect on our characters. But no, we don't find out about where Merlin's been. That waits for the sequel... more about that on my profile.

By the way, this chapter is not Beta'd. I thought it would be better to give it straight to you, rather than make you wait for me to get it back from a beta, especially given how long you have already waited. If you see any mistakes, let me know, and I'll sort it out.

* * *

 _Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth  
A youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown.  
Fair Science frowned not on his humble birth,  
And Melancholy marked him for her own.  
_

The subtle light of sunset illuminated the edges of the words cut deep into a stone plaque resting upon the ground. Seven years of harsh weather had barely left its mark on the tombstone, the only signs of age being slight wisps of weathering upon the stone surface. Wilting wildflowers graced the base of the memorial, their fading colours tinged red from the dying sun.

Arthur stood in front of the grave with the sun setting over the horizon before him. He cast his eyes to the familiar spot where the golden star always shone, but he saw no such star. The cracking of a twig sent shivers down the young king's spine, and he turned to greet the newcomer.

A smiling Merlin came through the trees, his posture relaxed and he seemed to not have a care in the world. For someone who had been dead for seven years, he looked as if he was fitting back into Camelot life as if he had never left.

"King Arthur, sire." The sorcerer swept low into a bow, his back cracking in protest. "Why are you so far from the castle at this time of evening? Not that it is my business or anything, your majesty."

"Shut it, Merlin." Arthur said, clapping his friend on the back as he straightened. "I like to be alone to watch the sunset."

"I'm sorry, I'll leave if you want..." Merlin shifted back slightly, rocking on his one good foot, fumbling madly to get his balance back on his staff. He got himself under control, and caught a glimpse of Arthur's sorrowful expression before the king turned away.

"No, it's ok." Arthur sighed deeply. "You didn't know. It's something that only started seven years ago..." The mention of the past sobered the already sincere atmosphere. Merlin ambled slowly to stand beside his friend, resting his hand on Arthur's arm when he reached him.

"Sunset is the time when the day is dying, when work is over and people can just relax, spend time with their families." Arthur explained. "For me, it's the start of when I can stop being Royal Arthur, and just be Arthur. Sometimes, I stare at the sky all night, watching the stars, until sunrise comes and I become the king again."

Merlin said nothing, knowing that there was not anything he could say. Instead, he observed the man beside him.

In the seven years he'd been away, Arthur had changed in so many ways, yet to someone who didn't know him; those changes would never have been seen. Merlin, who had spent years beside Prince Arthur, could see that King Arthur was somehow taller and more impressive than he had been. He held himself differently too; more confident, yet more reserved. Where the old Arthur had been arrogant and playful, the new one was stoic and serious.

"That's never been the case for me." Merlin said. "I have never had the chance to put who I am away and just be Merlin. It's too much a part of me, engrained to deeply onto my soul that even if I wished, I could never let my magic go. Even in my sleep it is present. My mother has long told me stories of waking to find that half the room is floating above the ground, all the while with me fast asleep."

Arthur too noticed changes in his friend. Where once the topics of his magic and his home life were kept strictly secret, he was now talking about it as if he always had. Yet despite his openness and honesty, Arthur thought that Merlin seemed more reserved than ever. He had been back for a little over a month now, but he still refused to talk about his time away. All that anyone knew was that he had transported himself into a forest far from Camelot and spent seven years training in the art of magic, learning as much as he could from people he met and carefully avoiding anyone who would recognise him and bring tales of his survival back to the city.

"I'm sorry, Merlin. I truly am. I wish you could have confided in me before it was too late, I might have been able to save you." Arthur turned away, ashamed of his past actions.

"Don't be stupid Arthur. I'm still alive." Merlin protested, grabbing his friend's shoulder and making him turn back around. "Look at me, I'm right here!"

"You have a grave! You have an empty grave, because I thought that you were dead and there was nothing! I watched from the distance as they buried the ashes from the fire, because your own family didn't want me there."

"Arthur..."

"No, Merlin!" The king exclaimed, his stern face finally breaking as his agony showed through. "Do you have any idea how much it hurt? I watched as you burnt in a fire I may as well have lit myself. I stood in front of the burnt piles of wood that were all that was left of you for hours, until the sun rose and the world awoke. I was forced to mourn in private where no-one could see me miss a sorcerer."

"You were never missing a sorcerer, Arthur." Merlin stated plainly. "You were missing a friend. And anyone who would prevent you from doing that is as cold-hearted as the Snow Queen."

Arthur said nothing, just looked at Merlin for a moment, before returning his gaze to the setting sun. Merlin watched him, watched the tension in the kings shoulders and the stiffness in his friends stance.

"Where were you?" Arthur asked suddenly. "Did you visit Hunith? She was beside herself with grief at the funeral, cursing Camelot to the depths of despair and back again for taking her son from her."

"Yes, I did," Merlin replied, smiling. "She was shocked. She wanted to come back here, to apologise to you for thinking you had killed me. I stopped her, because no one could know I was alive. As for where else I have been, I was studying. Learning all I could about magic."

"But where? Where could you go where people would not recognise you?"

"It doesn't matter, Arthur." The warlock said, critically. "You are better not knowing."

"Why? " The king demanded. "Did something happen?"

"Arthur, stop. There is no need to bring up things of no consequence. All that would happen is that you would gain even more regrets than you already have." Merlin replied sagely.

Arthur was dumbstruck for a moment.

"When did you become so wise?" He asked the man before him. In all his memory, he could only remember Merlin as being a bumbling, clumsy servant. For all the changes he'd observed in his friend, it still hadn't sunk in that he was now talking to a wise, serious _equal_.

Merlin laughed, and Arthur smiled at the sound. Somehow, it stripped away his worries. If Merlin could still laugh like that, it didn't matter where he had been. He was still, somewhere inside, the same Merlin that Arthur had known years ago.

"Stop trying to get me to answer, Arthur." The sorcerer replied. "I won't tell you!"

The two were silent.

"So, Arthur..." Merlin began. "What about you? What have you been up to? I heard about Uther..."

"Sorry Merlin, but unless you tell me your story, you won't hear mine." The king replied, a smile playing about the sides of his lips. Merlin just shook his head.

"I will tell you about the future, though." Arthur continued. "It will be a marvellous place. Camelot will prosper..."

"It will be hard to get there, Arthur" Merlin said, and the king nodded.

"I know. The kingdoms surrounding us, those who are unafraid of magic, will surely try and strike against us. None know that you are back; they think us undefended, weak, against magic at least. That's where I'll need your help..." Arthur trailed off. "You will help me, won't you Merlin? You'll help me protect Camelot? Help me to rule well?"

"Until I die, Arthur. For real, this time." Merlin looked Arthur directly in the eye. "From the day I became your servant, it has been my destiny to protect you. You may be the steel against steel, but I am the magic against magic. "

"I would want no one else for it." Arthur whispered, sincerity ringing in each syllable.

Merlin nodded deeply, and raised his head to the sky. The night was clear, the final rays of sunlight fading as the stars crept out of the darkness.

"Do you remember the last time we spoke?" He asked Arthur. "Before I was executed, I mean. You came into the dungeons and listened to me..."

 _  
_

* * *

The dungeon was cold and rank, the smell of mildew and rot permeating every corner of the tiny cell. Merlin was curled against the far wall, a ray of early morning sun cascading across his back, allowing him the slightest comfort of warmth.

 _He could hear the faint sounds of the courtyard, and knew they were preparing for his execution. The sounds of the guards outside his cell echoed faintly down to him, their joking manor cutting deeply into his heartbroken soul._

'That had once been Arthur and I' _the boy though sadly. And suddenly, as if his thoughts had called him there, the Prince's voice echoed down to him._

" _I'm here to see the prisoner," He said, authority etched into the very heart of the words he spoke. From the muffled replies he heard, Merlin assumed that they were hesitant to let Arthur into the cell. They eventually acquiesced, and moments later, Arthur walked into the small room._

 _Merlin soaked in the sight of him. To the casual observer, he looked no different to normal. But Merlin was no casual observer. He could see the slight crumple in the Prince's robes, the small patch of messy hair on his head and the deadened look in his weary eyes. It was strange to see him like this, and Merlin pondered if it was entirely his fault._

 _Arthur said nothing to him just stared down his nose at the sorcerer. It hurt deeply to see the look of utmost contempt reflected in the prince's eyes. It was all Merlin could do to stop himself from grabbing Arthur and shaking him until the hatred was replaced with anger. He stood, shakily._

" _A- Arthur..." He said hoarsely, his throat dry from the lack of water he'd received. "I'm so, so sorry..."_

" _Your apologises won't save your life,_ sorcerer _!" Arthur spat at him, and Merlin flinched._

" _I know." He replied. "But I don't care. I had resigned myself to this fate the day I walked into Camelot. I just wanted you to know that I didn't want you to find out like this."_

 _Arthur fell silent once again. He looked around the prison chamber, and seemed to bite down a comment. Instead, he turned and walked out of the cell, slamming the barred door closed on his way out._

 _Merlin sighed, and leant back against the wall. His eyes slid closed against his will._ 'Arthur hates me.' _He thought, and it cut him deep inside to even think it, let alone know that it was true._

 _His eyes sprung open against his will as the door to the cell opened once again. Arthur stood in the door way, holding a goblet of water. He held it out, and Merlin moved forward and took it in trembling hands._

 _He hadn't realised how thirsty he was until the water was in front of him. He drunk it greedily, great gulps that threatened to choke him. Before he knew it, the water was finished, and he was left holding an empty goblet. He offered it to Arthur, and the prince took it._

" _Thank you," Merlin whispered. Arthur snorted condescendingly._

" _It wouldn't do for a sorcerer to die alone in a cell. They deserve the worst fate there is." He snarled at the weary boy. Merlin said nothing, just slid slowly back to the ground, pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them._

" _You look pitiful, Merlin." Arthur stated with a hint of concern and pity. Merlin remained silent. "Do you have nothing to say, sorcerer?"_

" _I have many things to say," Merlin began, his voice still nothing more than a whisper, "But I have no wish to speak if no one will listen."_

" _I'm listening." Arthur replied and a brief smile flashed on Merlin's face._

" _Very well then, Prince. Listen carefully although you may not wish to hear everything I have to say. I have a story to tell, a story of a Warlock." He began._

" _It started in a place called Ealdor. The Warlock was nothing more than a baby, living with his mother. One night, she woke to her baby's cries and found that various objects in the room were floating around, circling the babe's crib. She had known of his power, as she knew his father had been a Dragonlord. But the amount of power he son had caused her to be stunned, and frightened._

 _This magic continued as her son grew, until eventually he could control it. It was his biggest secret, and he guarded it with all he had._

 _The Warlock had a friend, named Will, who eventually found out about his magic. The Warlocks mother was scared of the consequences and they were pushed apart fiercely. The Warlock was forced to leave his home, and travel to the grand kingdom of Camelot, where magic was outlawed._

 _On his first day in the city, he saw the penalty of using magic, and vowed to never reveal himself as a sorcerer. However, when the king's son was put in danger, he used his magic to save the prince's life. He was rewarded with becoming the prince's manservant, a position where using his magic would be a great danger._

 _But he did anyway. He used it to save the prince countless times. He used it to save the king as well, a king who would have him killed had he known of the magic that pumped through the boy's veins."_

 _Arthur was facing Merlin now, curious. The sorcerer's throat was dry again, but he didn't dare to ask for more water, instead he continued his story._

" _When the prince was bitten by a Questing Beast, the warlock went as far as to offer his own life to the High Priestess of the Old Religion to save the life of his master. His mother was nearly taken instead, then his mentor, until he was forced to kill the sorceress to keep the balance between life and death._

 _He was not deterred from his destiny, however, and continued to protect the prince. He met the father he had never known, the last of the Dragonlords, but had him taken away once more. So the Warlock was forced to embrace the ancient gift he inherited and saved Camelot from the Dragon, showing it mercy in return for it leaving the kingdom forever. But the Warlock told the prince that he had killed it, and allowed his master to take the credit._

 _There were several times when the boy was convinced that he could tell the prince his secret, but each time something happened to prove him wrong. And then, the day before he was finally going to, the unthinkable happened."_

 _Merlin swallowed and massaged his neck. Arthur looked at him expectantly. He took a deep breath and then continued._

" _The king and the prince were attacked by to evil sorcerers, the complete opposite of the warlock. He was forced to reveal his secret to not only the prince, but the king and the entire court as well. He was immediately sentenced to death. And that is where his story ends."_

 _The cell was silent. Arthur had turned away as Merlin finished his story, and Merlin had no more words to say, no more strength to say them._

" _Tell me," Arthur began after several minutes' silence. "What did the sorcerer think of the prince? Did he think him a fool? A coward? A traitor, a liar? Did this 'warlock' think the prince untrustworthy?"_

" _No!" Merlin found his voice again. "Never. He thought them friends. He wanted nothing more than to trust the prince unconditionally."_

" _So why didn't he?" Arthur asked angrily._

" _Because I've kept the secret all my life and... I couldn't risk it." Merlin whispered, dropping all pretence that they were talking about someone else. "More than that, I couldn't ask you choose between your father and me. After all, he is the king and I am but a servant."_

 _Arthur ran a hand through his hair in frustration. The sounds in the courtyard grew louder, more cheerful, as if the world was taunting them for being unhappy._ 'Here is life' it seemed to say. 'Here is what you are missing. Are you not sad? Don't you wish your life were this easy? Oh well, you can't have it.' _Truthfully, Arthur wished for nothing more than to turn time backwards to a week ago and stop this all from happening. He knew he couldn't._

" _You have saved me using your magic, Merlin, and the kingdom is thankful for that. Because of your magic you are going to be executed, and the kingdom is sorry for that. But if you cannot use your magic to save yourself, then_ _I_ _am sorry for that." Arthur said sadly, and he reached out briefly, touching Merlin's shoulder in a silent farewell before he spun on his heel to leave the dungeon._

" _Arthur!" Merlin yelled after him. "No matter what happens, I will always be watching out for you, watching out for Camelot. Remember that in years to come. Forgive me for my secrets, forgive my mistakes. But always know that I am protecting this city!"_

 _Merlin fell silent as he watched the heavy doors of the cell swing shut. He felt numb, but his mind was spinning with ideas. A single tear fell from his eye._

* * *

"I wouldn't be here if it weren't for what you said, Arthur. I would have burnt to my death." Merlin admitted to the king. "I was scared. It had been such a shock that I hadn't even thought of using my magic to escape. I didn't really think that escape was worth it anyway. Where could I have gone? It brought me to my senses when you told me that you wanted me to save myself. It also gave me the courage to come back here."

"I truly thought you had died, Merlin. I had a dream that you were in Avalon, and I ordered you to return. When I met your brother, Emrys, and tried to convince him to heal my father, he told me knew what I had done. He told me that you would never return to Camelot, for the dead do not return." Arthur bit back laughter. "When you first walked back into the hall, I thought it was him, not you. I had given up hope in you, in my dreams that you were returning."

"Emrys is clever, and cunning." Merlin said, a hint of a smile on his face. "But I came back. And just so you know, Emrys is _not_ my brother."

"He isn't?" Arthur questioned. "By why would he pretend to be?" Merlin shrugged his shoulders lightly, the universal gesture of _I don't know,_ a smile playing on his face.

"Were you really watching Camelot all these years?" Arthur asked.

It was something he had always been curious about. There were many times when he remembered those words, many times when they had echoed through his head. He was constantly looking for Merlin in his seven years of absence, even though he hadn't been sure that the boy had lived. The small hope he had, however, kept him on the lookout.

"Of course." Merlin said. "I watched over the city at night, when I was asleep. I could see it in my dreams, as clearly as if I was there."

Silence fell. Arthur lifted his gaze to the darkened sky, and frowned.

"What's wrong Arthur?" Merlin inquired when he saw the king's face.

"It's not there." He replied. "The star."

"What star?" Merlin was curious, an idea brimming in his mind.

"There was this one star. Every morning and evening, as I watched the sun rise and set I could see it. It was gold, unlike those around it. I would wink at me. I felt safe when I looked at it. I felt at peace."

Merlin's lip twitched.

"It's rather strange actually," The king continued, without noticing. "I haven't seen it since you returned. But I still feel peaceful, content."

Merlin couldn't contain himself any longer. He burst into a roaring laughter. Arthur looked at him startled. The sorcerer was gasping for breath and as his laugher died out he brought in great pants of air.

"May I inquire exactly what it is that is so funny, _Merlin?_ " Arthur asked, his old persona breaking through his new.

"I'm sorry, Arthur." Merlin managed to say. "I only thought you were more intelligent than that." Arthur looked at him puzzled. Merlin sighed. "Watch."

The sorcerer raised his hand to the sky and Arthur felt a strange thrill go through him. Despite him being back in Camelot for several months, Arthur had rarely seen Merlin doing magic directly. He saw the results often enough, but to be standing beside someone so powerful as they did magic was an incredible feeling.

The king watched as his friend's eyes shone gold and a stream of light burst out of the tips of his fingertips. Arthur's eyes followed the beam, and he gasped.

Shining down at him from where the beam had ended was a bright golden star. It winked at him, as it had every day for the seven years that Merlin had been gone. Stunned, he turned his gaze back to the sorcerer.

Merlin's eyes were out of focus, as if a veil was shrouding them. They were still golden, a colour Arthur had come to associate with Merlin and his magic.

" _Lay a hand on my shoulder."_ Merlin's voice echoed into Arthur's head, and he did as it said. There was a painful flash of light behind his eyes and when his vision returned, what he saw took his breath away.

He was looking down on Camelot at night. He could see the flickering lights of candles as the lit houses and brighter lights of fires burning in their hearths. He could make out the shadows of the city's guards as they patrolled its fearsome walls. Ever shadow, every slight movement, was amplified by this new magical Sight.

He found himself being lead away from the sight of the city, towards the grave where he and Merlin were still standing. He could see their faces turned up to look at the sky and it was startling to look at himself from outside of his body. What shocked him, though, was the golden light shining from his eyes as well as Merlin's.

The Sight faded, and Arthur found himself back inside his body. He turned to look at Merlin, and saw his eyes returned to normal. The king felt his face breaking into a grin and it grew larger as an accompanying one spread upon his friend's face as well.

"That was incredible! It was so beautiful, so amazing!" Arthur was lost for more words to describe the Sight. "I never knew that magic could be so beautiful."

"I learn more about it every day." Merlin said. "There are so many beautiful things to see through magic, Arthur. So many beautiful things I can show you with magic, things that magic can do."

"I know that now. I'm sorry for not seeing it before." Arthur spoke regretfully. "I had only ever known magic to be something to destroy, something evil. It's more than that. It creates too."

"Congratulations, King Arthur." The sorcerer said. "You are well and truly on the right path."

Arthur smiled, and slung an arm around Merlin's shoulders. He steered them back to face the castle, and the two friends laughed to themselves as they returned home.

Behind them, a bright light shone from Merlin's tombstone, as the words carved on it were wiped away, and new words carved in their place.

 _Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere,  
Heaven did a recompense as largely send:  
He gave to Misery all he had, a tear,  
He gained from Heaven ('twas all he wish'd) a friend._

* * *

And so it ends.

I'm almost crying after writing the end. Not with sadness, but with calmness, I guess.

I'd really love some reviews for this story, even if it's just to say 'what on Earth took you so long'. So please review!

Ari

:P


End file.
